Korikwiang completes hat-trick

Abraham Chebii won his first major race in three years on Saturday at the Kazi Mingi Farm in Eldoret in the final KCB Athletics Kenya cross country series meeting with Pauline Korikwiang, Japheth Korir and Hilda Chepkemoi also triumphing in their races.

Chebii a former short course world Cross Country Championships silver medalists (St Etienne-St Galmier, 2005) announced his return to top action after shaking off a leg injury that had threatened to end his career in a race that was run in hot condition over a tough course bringing together over 700 athletes from five countries Kenya, Qatar, Bahrain, Djibouti and Uganda athletes.

Chebii stopped the clock at 36 minutes, 14.6 seconds, edging out Qatar’s Isaac Ismael Rashid to second slot as he struggled to catch up timed at 36:28.3.

In the senior women’s eight-kilometre race, Pauline Korikwiang, of the G4S team, was in a class of her own as she crushed the opposition in the first kilometre to open up a 10-metre gap that widened as the race took shape.

With 1997 world 10,000m champion Sally Barsosio the big threat, Korikwiang received head coach Julius Kirwa’s approval as she lapped her colleagues to win in 26:55.9.

“It was not hard at all. I have done good training and I believe I can make the cut to the World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan. I started training early and it has benefited me,” she said.

Korikwiang won the Machakos and Meru legs of the series. Japhet Korir and Hilda Chepkemoi won the junior races.